


Third Wheel

by Mipeltaja



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, M/M, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 16:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8496421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mipeltaja/pseuds/Mipeltaja
Summary: Galdino isn't thrilled about Buggy's relationship with Alvida. Alvida thinks they need to talk.Set shortly after the return from Marineford.





	

"Brother Three" is not like the rest of the escapees that followed Buggy home.

  
It's not just that any one of the new additions to the crew - and possibly some of the old ones - could probably snap him like a twig. It’s not even that peculiarly, none of them ever so much as threaten to. It’s the way he'll stand apart from the crewmen, not quite at Buggy's side but never very far away, and never, ever on the same side of him as Alvida happens to be. In fact, he appears to be actively avoiding any interaction with her in general.

This has not escaped Alvida's notice.

Three is not like the rest of the escapees that followed Buggy home, and for that reason Alvida has taken to watching him. She sees the way he addresses Buggy without the reverence or hesitation displayed by everyone else - when they dare to speak directly to the captain at all - and she sees his lack of a loud and enthusiastic cheer at Buggy's grandiose speeches that have everyone else hooting and hollering - everyone except Alvida herself, of course. And because she watches him, she also sees the expression on his face when Buggy, with a twinkle in his eye and a spring in his step, walks up to her to snake an arm around her waist and steer her away from the crowd. She makes no mention of it as she allows Buggy to lead the way to the relative privacy of his cabin. After all, it makes little difference whether Three’s jealousy is over her ranking above him in the crew’s hierarchy, or the physical intimacy between her and Buggy; she has first dibs in either case.

At least, that is her initial view of it.

 

-

 

Galdino isn't altogether sure what he expected from following Buggy out of Marineford, but he is fairly certain it doesn’t quite line up with what he got. For one thing, there’s Buggy’s old crew. He knew of their existence, of course, but he wasn’t prepared for this indifference that they exhibit toward him. It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but he got rather used to a fraction of the former Impel Down inmates’ blind adoration of Buggy extending to his own person. There’s no such pedestal to be found here. Here, he ranks vaguely above most of the combined crew entirely by virtue of being on friendly terms with Buggy, but has none of the authority commanded by Buggy’s first and second mates. Buggy himself feels further away than before. Not emotionally; he’s as friendly as loud as he ever was, but his attention is more divided, taken up by all these people who share a much longer history with him. Galdino has lost something he’s not sure he ever really had, and it stings.

And then there’s the woman, Alvida.

As far as Galdino has been able to figure out, she ranks somewhere between the first mate and Buggy himself. It’s clear that she was the one in charge in the captain’s absence, and even now the old crew keeps bending over backwards for her whenever they’re not preoccupied with swooning over Buggy himself. Even the densest and most savage of the Impel Down escapees have picked up on this and respect her instinctively. Worst of all, she occupies the position at Buggy’s side that Galdino perhaps foolishly thought his. Ever since the reunion it’s been Alvida Buggy confers with, whose opinion he wants, and whose proximity he seeks. Galdino has taken to standing awkwardly nearby, hoping that if he just hangs about long enough, offering his opinion and strategical skills whenever possible, he just might carve out a space for himself - if not at Buggy’s right hand, then hopefully at his left. He doesn’t doubt that Alvida can see right through his plan - he has to grudgingly admit that between the two of them they probably make up more than half of this crew’s collective IQ - but as she seems content to just watch him and do nothing, he sees no reason to stop.

He has almost begun to think he may yet grow accustomed to this way of things when Alvida takes it upon herself to rock the proverbial boat.

It’s late and he’s sitting on the deck of the Big Top, a lit candle on the small table next to him and an open book in his lap, but his attention is focused elsewhere. Over the bow of the ship, he can see the bonfire the crew has built on the beach, and by its blazing light, Buggy recounting yet another severely exaggerated if not completely made up story of his heroics, complete with wild pantomime. The persona the man projects for the benefit of the crew is so transparently false that it’s a wonder the hardened criminals of Impel Down ever fell for it, but Galdino can’t really fault them for wanting to believe in the fantasy. Under all the flash and affected bravado, Buggy is an uniquely charming person, and if even all the intellect Galdino possesses couldn’t protect against that, then surely the fools with muscle for brains never stood a chance.

Wrapped up as he is in these thoughts, and following the animated gesturing that makes Buggy’s shoulder blades move in the most _mesmerizing_ way under his form-fitting shirt, Galdino doesn’t realize he isn’t alone on the deck until the click-click-click of high heels against hardwood reaches his ears. He doesn’t need to look to know who it is, but he turns anyway. Better to have her where he can see her.

Alvida is walking towards him with a glass bottle in one hand and two wine glasses in the other. Speechless, Galdino watches as she sets these down on the table without a single word. Then, with deceptive ease, she picks up a sake barrel from a few feet away and plonks it down next to the table with a resounding _thunk_. Galdino would feel inclined take this unnecessary show of strength as some sort of an implied threat, but he’s seen her wave that giant mace of hers around like it’s a parasol, and as far as he can tell, she means nothing by flaunting her surprising physical strength. Alvida sits down on her barrel and uncorks her bottle, pouring wine into both glasses. Her lips, blood red in the flickering candlelight, twist into a smile that in Galdino’s eyes borders on cruel - but perhaps that’s just his imagination getting away from him.

“I wanted a word with you,” she says, and pushes one glass towards him.

Galdino nods despite himself. He has nothing he wants to say to her, but he has to admit to feeling a measure of curiousity.

“I can tell you don’t like me,” she lifts her glass to her lips, sipping once, “but I think we have something in common.”

“I doubt that.”

She sets her glass down and studies the rippling surface of her drink for a moment. Then, without looking up, says: “I know you want him.” She nods towards the shore, and Galdino turns instinctively, following her gaze to Buggy, who has now split himself into tiny pieces that he’s whirling around wildly.

Galdino swallows and, careful to keep a neutral expression, turns back to face Alvida.

She is looking at her glass again, swirling the wine in an absent-minded manner. “What I want to know is, do you care about him?”

Her tone is so casual that Galdino can’t help but bristle. “If you’re trying to tell me to leave him alone, or blackmail me -”

“You’ve got it all wrong!” She waves her free hand dismissively, as if the entire idea is simply preposterous - as if she's _bored_ by it. ”No, I’m asking because _I_ care about Buggy.”

He eyes her warily. “And why do you care if I care?”

Alvida’s eyes soften, and she rests her chin on her hand, once more looking past Galdino towards the bonfire. “Look at him,” she says, smiling fondly. “He’s in way over his head, and you and I may be the only people here who know it. Bluff and bravado will only get him so far, and I want him to survive this.”

“So do I,” says Galdino.

“Good,” says she. “Then we should be working together. Maybe we can come to an arrangement.”

Galdino narrows his eyes, still unsure if he should trust this woman. “What do you mean?”

Alvida’s eyes glint in the candlelight as she leans in closer. “I am not going to give Buggy up, but for the sake of his happiness - and his safety - I am willing to share.”

“That’s all well and good,” says Galdino, “but does he want to be shared?”

“Oh, I’d say the odds are pretty good.” She gives him a little smirk. “You should hear how he talks about you.”

“And how do I know you’re not setting me up to embarrass myself?”

Alvida shrugs. “I suppose I can’t blame you for being suspicious. I’ll talk to him about it. I just wanted to make sure the two of us were on the same page first.”

She puts her glass down and offers her hand. “So what do you say?”

Galdino considers for a moment, decides he has nothing to lose, and takes her hand. They shake once, firmly, and let go.

“I’m glad we had this talk,” says Alvida, refilling her glass.

Galdino nods in agreement and finally takes a sip from his.

It actually is really good wine.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote most of this relatively soon after the Impel Down/Marineford arc ended, and then left it in my WIP folder. I finally gathered up the energy to polish it enough to post it.


End file.
